ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Wednesday, February 22, 2012

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Wednesday, February 22, 2012

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How good cholesterol turns bad (February 21, 2012) -- Researchers have found new evidence to explain how cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) mediates the transfer of cholesterol from "good" high density lipoproteins (HDLs) to "bad" low density lipoproteins (LDLs). These findings point the way to the design of safer, more effective next generation CETP inhibitors that could help prevent the development of heart disease. ... > full story

Anticipation of stressful situations accelerates cellular aging (February 21, 2012) -- The ability to anticipate future events allows us to plan and exert control over our lives, but it may also contribute to stress-related increased risk for the diseases of aging, according to a new study. ... > full story

Injectable gel could repair tissue damaged by heart attack (February 21, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a new injectable hydrogel that could be an effective and safe treatment for tissue damage caused by heart attacks. ... > full story

Cell energy sensor mechanism discovered (February 21, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered more details about how an energy sensing “thermostat” protein determines whether cells will store or use their energy reserves. The researchers have shown that a chemical modification on the thermostat protein changes how it’s controlled. Without the modification, cells use stored energy, and with it, they default to stockpiling resources. When cells don’t properly allocate their energy supply, they can die off or become cancerous. ... > full story

Can consuming caffeine while breastfeeding harm your baby? (February 21, 2012) -- Babies are not able to metabolize or excrete caffeine very well, so a breastfeeding mother's consumption of caffeine may lead to caffeine accumulation and symptoms such as wakefulness and irritability, according to an expert. ... > full story

Many young people don't know what constitutes sensible alcohol consumption (February 21, 2012) -- A new study reveals that young people do not possess the knowledge or skills required to adhere to U.S. government guidelines for responsible alcohol consumption. ... > full story

Is fructose being blamed unfairly for obesity epidemic? (February 21, 2012) -- Is fructose being unfairly blamed for the obesity epidemic? Or do we just eat and drink too many calories? Researchers reviewed more than 40 published studies on whether the fructose molecule itself causes weight gain. In 31 "isocaloric" trials they reviewed, participants ate a similar number of calories, but one group ate pure fructose and the other ate non-fructose carbohydrates. The fructose group did not gain weight. ... > full story

Step forward in effort to regenerate damaged nerves (February 21, 2012) -- Scientists have taken a step forward toward the goal of repairing nerves in such patients more effectively. In a new study, researchers report that a surprising set of cells may hold potential for nerve transplants. ... > full story

Does depression contribute to the aging process? (February 21, 2012) -- Stress has numerous detrimental effects on the human body. Many of these effects are acutely felt by the sufferer, but many more go "unseen," one of which is shortening of telomere length. ... > full story

Molecular basis of touch sensation: Researchers identify new function of a well-known gene (February 21, 2012) -- A gene known to control lens development in mice and humans is also crucial for the development of neurons responsible for mechanosensory function, as neurobiologists have now discovered. They found that in mice in which they had removed the c-Maf gene in the nerve cells, touch sensation is impaired. This similarly applies to human carriers of a mutant c-Maf gene. ... > full story

Scientists unlock evolutionary secret of blood vessels (February 21, 2012) -- Scientists have shed light on how vertebrates evolved closed circulation systems designed to more effectively carry blood to organs and tissues. ... > full story

Brain makes call on which ear is used for cell phone (February 21, 2012) -- A new study finds a strong correlation between brain dominance and the ear used to listen to a cell phone, with more than 70 percent of participants holding their cell phone up to the ear on the same side as their dominant hand. ... > full story

Evolution of staph 'superbug' traced between humans and livestock (February 21, 2012) -- A strain of the potentially deadly antibiotic-resistant bacterium known as MRSA has jumped from livestock to humans, according to a new study. ... > full story

Implantable, wireless sensors share secrets of healing tissues (February 21, 2012) -- A new implantable sensor can wirelessly transmit data from the site of a recent orthopedic surgery. Inexpensive to make and highly reliable, this new sensor holds the promise of more accurate, more cost-effective, and less invasive post-surgery monitoring and diagnosis. ... > full story

Over-reactive parenting linked to negative emotions and problem behavior in toddlers (February 21, 2012) -- Researchers have found that parents of young children who anger easily and overreact are more likely to have toddlers who act out and become upset easily. ... > full story

Environmental pollutant level during pregnancy linked with grown daughters who are overweight (February 21, 2012) -- The levels of the environmental pollutant perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) that mothers had in their blood during pregnancy increased the risk of obesity in their daughters at 20 years of age. ... > full story

Gene affecting the ability to sleep discovered in fruit flies (February 20, 2012) -- On the surface, it's simple: when night falls, our bodies get sleepy. But behind the scenes, a series of complex molecular events, controlled by our genes, is hard at work to make us groggy. Now, research suggests that a newly identified gene known as insomniac may play a role in keeping us asleep. By cloning and testing this gene in fruit flies researchers say they have discovered an entirely new mechanism by which sleep is regulated. ... > full story

Babies' colic linked to mothers' migraines (February 20, 2012) -- A study of mothers and their young babies by neurologists has shown that mothers who suffer migraine headaches are more than twice as likely to have babies with colic than mothers without a history of migraines. ... > full story

Telomere failure, telomerase activation drive prostate cancer progression (February 20, 2012) -- Genomic instability caused by an erosion of the protective caps on chromosomes, followed by activation of an enzyme that reinforces those caps, allows malignant cells to evade destruction and acquire more deadly characteristics, researchers report. ... > full story

Blocking telomerase kills cancer cells but provokes resistance, progression (February 20, 2012) -- Inhibiting telomerase, an enzyme that rescues malignant cells from destruction by extending the protective caps on the ends of chromosomes, kills tumor cells but also triggers resistance pathways that allow cancer to survive and spread, scientists report. ... > full story

Traitorous immune cells promote sudden ovarian cancer progression (February 20, 2012) -- In a new mouse model that mimics the tumor microenvironment of ovarian cancer, scientists have demonstrated that ovarian tumors don't necessarily break "free" of the immune system, rather dendritic cells of the immune system seem to actively support the tumor's escape. The researchers show that it might be possible to restore the immune system by targeting a patient's own dendritic cells. ... > full story

World's longest kidney transplant chain completed (February 20, 2012) -- The world's longest living-donor kidney transplant chain has just been completed. The chain involved 30 donors, 30 recipients and 17 hospitals throughout the U.S. ... > full story

New treatment for traumatic brain injury shows promise in animals (February 20, 2012) -- A new drug is showing promise in shielding against the harmful effects of traumatic brain injury in rats, according to a new study. ... > full story

Rainforest plant combats multi-resistant bacterial strains (February 20, 2012) -- Aggressive infections in hospitals are an increasing health problem worldwide. The development of bacterial resistance is alarming. Now a young Danish scientist has found a natural substance in a Chilean rainforest plant that effectively supports the effect of traditional treatment with antibiotics. ... > full story

Home visits for asthma: A win for both patients and payers (February 20, 2012) -- Nearly one in 10 children have asthma, according to government statistics, and in low-income parts of Boston, nearly 16 percent of children are affected. A new program demonstrates the potential to dramatically reduce hospitalization and emergency department visits for asthma -- improving patient outcomes and saving .46 per dollar spent through reduced hospital utilization. ... > full story

Neurodegenerative diseases: Ring-like structure found in 'elongator' protein complex (February 20, 2012) -- A ring-like structure found in a protein complex called ‘Elongator’ provides new clues to its tasks inside the cell and to its role in neurodegenerative diseases. It is the first three-dimensional structure of part of this complex. ... > full story

Tongue drive system goes inside the mouth to improve performance and user comfort (February 20, 2012) -- The Tongue Drive System is getting less conspicuous and more capable. The newest system prototype allows people with high-level spinal cord injuries to wear an inconspicuous dental retainer embedded with sensors to operate a computer and electric wheelchair simply by moving their tongues. ... > full story

Faulty fat sensor implicated in obesity and liver disease (February 19, 2012) -- Defects in a protein that functions as a dietary fat sensor may be a cause of obesity and liver disease, according to a new study. The findings highlight a promising target for new drugs to treat obesity and metabolic disorders. ... > full story

Surprising molecular switch: Lipids help control the development of cell polarity (February 19, 2012) -- In a standard biology textbook, cells tend to look more or less the same from all sides. But in real life cells have fronts and backs, tops and bottoms, and they orient many of their structures according to this polarity explaining, for example, why yeast cells bud at one end and not the other. ... > full story

New brain connections form in clusters during learning (February 19, 2012) -- New connections between brain cells emerge in clusters in the brain as animals learn to perform a new task, according to a new study. The findings reveal details of how brain circuits are rewired during the formation of new motor memories. ... > full story

Protein that sends 'painful touch' signals identified (February 19, 2012) -- Researchers report that they have identified a class of proteins that detect "painful touch." Scientists have known that sensory nerves in our skin detect pressure, pain, heat, cold, and other stimuli using specialized "ion channel" proteins in their outer membranes. They have only just begun, however, to identify and characterize the specific proteins involved in each of these sensory pathways. The new work provides evidence that a family of sensory nerve proteins known as piezo proteins are ion channel proteins essential to the sensation of painful touch. ... > full story

Which anti-HIV drug combinations work best and why? (February 19, 2012) -- Using a mathematical formula that carefully measures the degree to which HIV infection of immune system cells is stalled by antiretroviral therapy, AIDS experts have calculated precisely how well dozens of such anti-HIV drugs work, alone or in any of 857 likely combinations, in suppressing the virus. Results of the team’s latest research reveal how some combinations work better than others at impeding viral replication, and keeping the disease in check. ... > full story

Substituting with smokeless tobacco saves lives, research suggests (February 19, 2012) -- Substituting smokeless tobacco products can save smokers' lives, and there is a scientific foundation that proves it, according to one researcher whose work shows that smokers can greatly reduce their risk of disease and death by replacing smoking products with e-cigarettes or modern, spit-free smokeless tobacco. ... > full story

New combo of chemo and well-known malaria drug delivers double punch to tumors (February 19, 2012) -- Blocking autophagy -- the process of "self-eating" within cells -- is turning out to be a viable way to enhance the effectiveness of a wide variety of cancer treatments. Specifically, blocking the action of an acidic inner cell part, which acts like a stomach and chews up proteins for recycling, is the main attack strategy. ... > full story

'Duet of one' possible with hand-controlled voice synthesizer (February 19, 2012) -- New technology makes it possible for a person to speak or sing just by using their hands to control a speech synthesizer. The new gesture-to-voice-synthesizer technology mirrors processes that human use when they control their own vocal apparatus. ... > full story

Babies know what's fair (February 18, 2012) -- "That's not fair!" It's a common playground complaint. But how early do children acquire this sense of fairness? Before they're 2, says a new study. "We found that 19- and 21-month-old infants have a general expectation of fairness, and they can apply it appropriately to different situations," says a psychology graduate student. ... > full story

Pregnancy-related complications predict CVD in middle age (February 18, 2012) -- Women who developed pregnancy-related hypertension (preeclampsia) or diabetes were at increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) later in life. Preeclampsia was associated with a wider range of CVD risk factors and may be a better predictor of CVD in middle age than other pregnancy-related complications. Pregnancy may provide an opportunity to identify women at increased risk of CVD when they're relatively young -- allowing them to make lifestyle changes and get medical intervention earlier in life. ... > full story

Nasty 'superbug' emerging? Strikes otherwise healthy, young patients (February 17, 2012) -- Researchers are expressing concern about a new, under-recognized, much more potent variant of a common bacterium that has surfaced in the U.S. It's virulent, potentially drug-resistant, and strikes otherwise healthy, young patients. ... > full story

Preemies: Novel feeding device may decrease risk of failure to thrive (February 17, 2012) -- A novel feeding device developed may decrease the risk of failure to thrive (FTT), which currently affects half of all newborns with congenital heart defects even after their surgical lesions are corrected. ... > full story

Discovery that migrating cells 'turn right' has implications for engineering tissues, organs (February 17, 2012) -- What if we could engineer a liver or kidney from a patient's own stem cells? How about helping regenerate tissue damaged by diseases such as osteoporosis and arthritis? A new study bring scientists a little closer to these possibilities by providing a better understanding how tissue is formed and organized in the body. ... > full story

A single protein helps the body keep watch over the Epstein-Barr virus (February 17, 2012) -- Some 90 percent of people are exposed to the Epstein Barr virus at some point in their life. Even though it is quickly cleared from the body, the virus can linger silently for years in small numbers of infected B cells. According to researchers, the immune system subdues the virus by watching for a single viral protein called LMP1. ... > full story

Live from the thymus: T-cells on the move (February 17, 2012) -- For the first time, scientists follow the development of individual immune cells in a living zebrafish embryo. T-cells are the immune system's security force. They seek out pathogens and rogue cells in the body and put them out of action. Their precursors are formed in the bone marrow and migrate from there into the thymus. Here, they mature and differentiate to perform a variety of tasks. Scientists have now succeeded for the first time in observing the maturation of immune cells in live zebrafish embryos. ... > full story

How mitochondrial DNA defects cause inherited deafness (February 17, 2012) -- Scientists have discovered the molecular pathway by which maternally inherited deafness appears to occur: Mitochondrial DNA mutations trigger a signaling cascade, resulting in programmed cell death. ... > full story

Military service, even without combat, can change personality and make vets less agreeable, research suggests (February 17, 2012) -- It's no secret that battlefield trauma can leave veterans with deep emotional scars that impact their ability to function in civilian life. But new research suggests that military service, even without combat, has a subtle lingering effect on a man's personality, making it potentially more difficult for veterans to get along with friends, family and co-workers. ... > full story

3-D microscopy to aid in cell analysis (February 17, 2012) -- The understanding of diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's is set to take a step forward following groundbreaking technology which will enable cell analysis using automated 3D microscopy. ... > full story

Nano-technology uses virus' coats to fool cancer cell (February 17, 2012) -- While there have been major advances in the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of tumors within the brain, brain cancer continues to have a very low survival rate in part to high levels of resistance to treatment. New research has used Sendai virus to transport Quantum Dots (Qdots) into brain cancer cells and to specifically bind Qdots to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) which is often over-expressed and up-regulated in tumors. ... > full story

More than one in four elderly patients was given potentially hazardous medication during 2007, German study finds (February 17, 2012) -- More than one in four elderly patients was given potentially hazardous medication during 2007, according to a new study from Germany. ... > full story

Norwegian success in creating an artificial child's voice (February 17, 2012) -- “Synthesized speech has grown more and more similar to human speech. Yet children communicating via a speech device are still forced to use a synthetic adult voice,” explains a researcher developing tools to assist disabled persons. ... > full story